The word of God is immutable and unassailable and He is faithful to keep it to the very end. If I know nothing else, this I know to be true. I know that scripture cannot be broken and that whether we live or die tomorrow is in the hands of God alone. I also know that injustice and deceit can never last and that persecution only fuels dissent. There comes a time in the life of a man when he must be a man and stand up and speak the truth, even where others are too timid and intimidated to do so.

Blessed be the name of the most High God, the God whose I am and the God whom I serve. Blessed be His holy name forever. His name is Jehova Shalom, Jehova Nissi, Jehova Jireh and Jehova Sharma. The heavens are His throne and the earth is His footstool: none can resist Him. The nations of the earth and their princes are as a drop in the ocean before Him. He created all that is and knows the end even before the beginning.

They say that the only people that can really hurt you are those that you love. It therefore follows that the most important thing for anyone to do is to guard his or her heart and emotions with vigour and with wisdom. For once love is truly given, especially when it is given freely and quickly, and once emotions are deeply stirred and hearts touched at the mere whisper of a tongue, it is very rarely reciprocated or appreciated. More often than not unmerited love and unwarranted favour is treated with utter contempt and secret disdain. It is abused, scorned, taken for granted, taken advantage of, wounded, despised, betrayed, used and eventually rejected and dumped. Yet when love is truly appreciated and properly returned, it is the most precious and powerful gift in the entire universe.

The strength of a man resides not in his body but rather in his will and in his spirit. It cannot be measured by the size of his muscles but rather in his ability to be resilient, disciplined, courageous, honourable, longsuffering, patient, loving, kind and utterly fearless. In every situation and in all circumstances that life throws his way he is not moved or perturbed but rather he remains strong and bold, encouraging others, keeping hope alive: he is as constant as the northern star.

Villa Love Love, Cannes, Juanes Le Paine, Nice and Super Cannes. Summer of '82 in the South of France and then on to Athens and those beautiful Greek islands. Fondest memories. Those were the days. The best days of our lives. So young, so free, so vibrant, so happy. We had the world at our feet. We were full of life. Where did all those wonderful years go? Our joy was complete. No fears. No worries. No responsibilities. No concerns. Now we are old and fading. Now our time is almost done. Now we know how cruel and hard this world can be. Now we call God night and day to shield and provide for our partners and loved ones.

The first is that without God there is nothing and with God there is everything. The second is that if you help ten people in life count yourself lucky if one returns to say thank you and count yourself lucky if only one of the ten betrays you. The third is that you must trust no-one because it is those that are closest to you that will hurt you the most. The fourth is that you must never write off or despise anyone no matter how bad their situation because you don't know what they may become tomorrow.

Hope weakens the power of the enemy and it is evidence of our faith in God. Nothing pleases God more than for us to have faith in Him. Trust Him…